By Giles Morris - Daily News Staff

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Every once in a while a group of people does something so extraordinary together that they create a new pattern of behavior for those who follow in their footsteps.

When Kathy Vick-Martini’s mock trial team won the National Mock Trial Tournament in 1989, they created one of Rhinelander High School’s most enduring legacies of excellence. A legacy that continues today.

Vick-Martini says this year’s team may be the best she has ever seen.

“We have an incredible group. They’re fun. They’re talented. They’re dedicated. When I’m in a bad mood they make me laugh,” she said.

Vick-Martini credits her four seniors— Rahul Jain, Eric Klemm, Britteny La Fond, and Lauren Mathea— with providing excellent leadership on a team that also includes one junior, three sophomores and a freshman.

The story of RHS mock trial began 25 years ago when Vick-Martini, then a social studies teacher, was asked by state educators if she would like to start a program.

At first she taught mock trial as an extra-credit social studies course for seniors, but she quickly realized that in order to teach the subject well she needed students for more than just one year.

When Vick-Martini’s oldest son became a sophomore, she added him to the team, and it was during his senior year that RHS won the National Mock Trial Tournament.

Vick-Martini credits Ann Munninghoff, a formerpublic defender who volunteers her time, with giving her students a unique edge in competition that year.

Since the national championship year, mock trial has become a Hodag institution. The team has won 14 state titles and been to the finals 18 times in the last 22 years.

In part, that success has been the result of the exposure the first national championship created.

“It kind of snowballs. You go to nationals and you learn what the other teams are doing to get to that level. You learn some of the tricks of the trade,” said Munninghoff.

But the success has mostly been the result of Vick-Martini’s ability to recruit outstanding students and then enlist the services of Rhinelander’s best legal minds to help shape their cases. In addition to Munninghoff, Oneida County District Attorney Mike Bloom and attorney Jim Jacobi also volunteer their time with the mock trial team.

On Wednesday the RHS mock trial team will depart for this year’s National Mock Trial Tournament in Wilmington, Del., where they will have a chance to make history.

“This team is as good as any I’ve taken to nationals. Luck is always an element. No team has ever won nationals twice,” said Vick-Martini.

Her team exudes the confidence its coaches have instilled.

Lauren Mathea, who has participated in mock trial since her freshmen year, believes the team can win.

“If we’re as good as our coaches say we are, then we can win. We scrimmaged the teams from Illinois and Indiana and their coaches were really impressed with us,” Mathea said.

Rahul Jain, a senior who also captains the RHS tennis team, first got interested in mock trial by watching his older brother compete. He has chosen to continue mock trial in spite of his many commitments.

“It’s hard sometimes. Last night I got home at 10:30 p.m. from a match and ate dinner. Then at 11:30 p.m. I started on mock trial work. But I can’t imagine not doing it,” Jain said.

It’s that kind of enthusiasm and dedication, Vick-Martini says, that makes her team special.

Great teachers and great writers alike often quote the mantra ‘show don’t tell.’ In the case of Kathy Vick-Martini she has shown RHS students for 25 years what a labor of love can be like.

“I tried to quit when my youngest son graduated, but I couldn’t do it. Then I thought I would quit when I retired, but I didn’t. I retired kind of young and I was worried I would miss out on the contact with the students. These kids are so great,” she said.

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John Eshelman wrote on May 8, 2008 4:32 PM: " GO HODAGS! The entire State of Wisconsin is pulling for you to bring home the title in this year's National Mock Trial Tournament. And I am certain you will. " The comments above are from readers. In no way do they represent the views of the Rhinelander Daily News.

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